Regarding the possible role of television in helping to save CM from an
imminent demise, an article submitted by Richard P suggested that...

>The problem is how to make better television out of the arts, not just
>to pump them into the schedule as a means of raising the tone.

After an eventful day of assorted musical contacts -- Martha Argerich
(the Prokofiev/Bartok CD), John Veale (clips and reviews), Bliss (news
of a new Naxos), and Vadim Repin (a revelatory Prokofiev Son#1, at a
recent Wigmore Hall concert) -- I recently commented to someone that...

   '...the biggest musical event for me yesterday was that, while
   flipping around the TV I ran into a ceremony from Toronto
   commemorating the Queen's 50th.  She's been touring Canada for
   the past week or so, and last night that hoopla was all made
   worthwhile to me, having brought out the venerable Oscar Petersen
   for a spectacular one-piece performance!

   He's apparently overcome a stroke, maybe even fully, as he was
   _fiery_.  ...the way he toyed with tempi was awesome: taking his
   melodic line to the very edge of conflict with the band's pace,
   then drawing it back in, then teasing his way out to the edge
   again, and so forth with devilish risk-taking.

   The effort it required not to overstep was visible on his face,
   perhaps due to some vestige of the stroke, or maybe just because
   of his sheer daring.  They'd obviously rehearsed their number
   to a fine polish, but you could see plenty of spontaneity in the
   playing.

   At one point he ceded to the guitarist, who did some wonderful
   things while Oscar splashed the occasional, seemingly random
   chord that, in fact, fell in just perfectly, beautifully punctuating
   the soloing.

   ...Nice to see him back in business -- now past his 80th birthday!'

I'm not sure that good music is fixed to die, but TV can, apparently,
expose many to its wonders -- without much worry about how to 'make
better arts television.' Pre-taped concerts do the trick just fine.

Without wanting to revive the debate about music that's live vs.
studio-produced, I'd like to say that my embrace of the 'live' variety,
whenever possible, also includes such fare.  Another such experience
occurred with Beethoven's PC5, under Zukerman/NACOrch, and Yefim Bronfman
at the piano.  A great many Ottawans were phoning one another after that
show, many after experiencing tears (which has yet to happen to me with
a CD).

The real point here is that this last show -- which, IIRC, was aired at
prime time on a Wednesday -- hadn't even been scheduled for broadcast!
Another 'flipping around' happenstance.  Making better arts television
is not critical for CM, IMHO, but broadcasting performances at decent
TIMes and with regularity is something the CBC and any other TV
counterparts need to take far more seriously.

Bert Bailey